


Cultural Differences In Courting

by inkwells_writing



Series: The Mercenary and the Aarakocra [2]
Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Fluff, M/M, arthur is a bird boy :3
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-14
Updated: 2018-10-14
Packaged: 2019-08-02 03:30:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,545
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16297358
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/inkwells_writing/pseuds/inkwells_writing
Summary: Alfred’s boyfriend isn’t human, but he loves him all the same. But lately, he’s been realized his bird-like boyfriend is a little… strange at times.





	Cultural Differences In Courting

It wasn’t often Alfred payed attention to things.

Now this isn’t to say he was a stupid man- he truly wasn’t. It was hard to be stupid when monsters and demons lurked, when mystical creatures could be your neighbor, your shopkeeper, your employer.

Your lover.

It was also hard to be stupid when you hunted monsters and hurt those who sought to bring terror to the world.

So no, Alfred wasn’t stupid. A little naive and trusting, maybe. But mostly dense. Extremely dense, his friends and family would say. Alfred, however, knew he wasn’t as dense as they made him out to be. He could pay attention, when he chose. And when it came to his partner, he always chose to pay attention.

Now, while there were evil monsters, there were good ones too. Passive creatures, beings with fangs or tails, even giant ogres or rock golems who simply wanted to live a peaceful life with humans.

Arthur James Kirkland was one of those creatures. Some, crueler people would simply look at Arthur and call him an abomination or a freak, but those who had any sense in their head and kindness in their hearts would learn about the beings that inhabited the world they shared. These people would know Arthur for what he was, an aarakocra. A humanoid being, but one covered in feathers. 

Arthur had been the first aarakocra Alfred had met, and it hadn’t been on the best terms. He had been hired by a small, secluded village (which should have been his first turnoff- the secluded villages always were such for a reason) to get rid of a creature that had been terrorizing their homes. 

After going in there and engaging in a fight with Arthur, Alfred had realized the stuffy being wasn’t terrorizing the village, but simply making his presence known by attempting to go to their market. Arthur later told him that he wasn’t about to pick up and move away when he had a point to make. As silly as his reasoning was, Alfred couldn’t fault him. 

But Alfred did have to convince him to leave the area, as the village could easily hire someone else to “take care of the problem,” and not everyone was as willing to stop and listen to the other side of the story when money was at the end of the easy kill.

He hadn’t known that promising to provide safe passage for Arthur until he found a place to settle down would lead to him falling in love. Which would then leave to not just Arthur settling down, but both of them, together. In a nice little cottage, deep in a forest. Arthur picked the place, and they made due with the small garden and with both the money Alfred had saved up during his mercenary days and the favors they could barter around when Alfred helped fix up the nearby village. 

But there was still so much Alfred didn’t know, and yes, he could  _ maybe _ admit that he was a little, teensy-weensy tiny bit dense.

But only a little!

And lately, maybe he could say that he’d began to notice little things he hadn’t before. Thing’s Arthur did that he previously took no notice of, but now, as they started to add up- they were suspicious.

“Arthur, you seriously need to brush off my pillow if you’re going to use it after I get up!” Alfred called through the house as he huffed down at his pillow. The thing was covered in the white and brown speckled feathers that trailed up Arthur’s neck and down his back. Sure, he couldn’t get mad at Arthur for them falling out (if he did, the Gods knew Arthur’s returning rant about his hair and how it shed would rattle the very foundation of their house), but he sure could get mad at Arthur for using  _ his _ pillow and leaving it covered in feathers. 

The pad of footsteps that followed the trail of creaky floorboards altered Alfred that his partner was coming, but what Alfred didn’t expect was the pretty green coat Arthur had on. It was a vivid green, matching the exact color of his eyes, but something about the way it shone in the light made Alfred suspect the fabric had magical origins. 

However, such fabric was not his concern. No matter how cute it made his partner look (and how  _ right _ it fit Arthur), that would not distract him from his current point. 

“My pillow is covered in your feathers again, dude. As soft as your feathers are when they’re attached, they’re pointy and hurt when they’re  _ not _ .” He tried to be blunt, hoping that Arthur wouldn’t misinterpret his words and think Alfred was really mad. Because he wasn’t- he just hated brushing off the feathers because they’d get caught in the fabric and it became a huge hassle- and really- Arthur called himself a  _ gentleman _ . He could be more polite. 

But apparently he’d said something wrong, because the small glint in his eyes had faded, and instead of the almost-smile that’d been forming on his lips, Arthur huffed out a, “Fine.” 

Confused, but not wanting to make things worse by running his mouth, Alfred decided it would be best to walk away before the situation could escalate. Sometimes Arthur would just be grumpy, and the best thing to do would be to leave him alone for a bit. So, with a smile, a “thank you,” and a short, “I’m gonna go check the garden,” he made his way outside, picking weeds the way Arthur had meticulously taught him when they first settled down. It was painstaking work, but he only second-guessed if something was a weed or a stalk twice, so he knew he was improving. After a while, he sat back on his heels and wiped the sweat of his brow, letting out a soft sigh. It was starting to warm up again- spring was finally coming into full swing.

Soon, it’d be a year since they’d built a home together and a year and a half since they’d met. 

“Alfred, I finished my piece!” Arthur’s voice called in through one of the open windows, and Alfred smiled. Arthur had been working on embroidery, a hobby that seemed to require a lot of patience, which was something the grumpy man lacked. So when he took it up as a hobby, Alfred was a little skeptical. Even more so when Arthur refused to let Alfred see his work until it was done. 

Now, after an entire month, it was apparently deemed finished, and Alfred was very excited to see it. He loved praising Arthur for hard work- he loved the little blush that would spread to his ears when Alfred found the perfect words to say. 

So with a bright smile, Alfred stood and brushed off his pants as he made his way inside. He paused only for a second to appreciate the small collection of stones piled next to their door, something Arthur claimed added “class” to their house- Alfred never understood but there had been rocks outside Arthur’s old house too so he never really said anything. Some of the rocks were pretty, and Alfred had even brought Arthur a pretty stone he’d seen on the ground on his way back from the village one day. As childish as it had felt picking it up and pocketing it, the way Arthur was a little more clingy that night had been worth it.

When he stepped back inside their house, the first thing he noticed was Arthur had removed the green coat. Deciding not to comment, after all, aarakocra had different body temperatures and he assumed he’d just gotten hot, Alfred smiled as he approached his partner. 

“Can I see it?” He asked as soon as Arthur noticed him entering. He really was excited; anything Arthur had been working on for as long as thing was bound to be amazing. 

“Well, I did promise you that you could see it when I was finished. So, here.” The man held out his embroidery hoop, a simple circle of wood he’d picked up in the village. The soft, white fabric that was inside it, once simple and blank, was now covered in a mass of blues and purples. The thread left no open space, and Alfred was stuck, speechless, as he realized it was the view they had of the sky, framed by the nearby mountains. White dots, Alfred knew were stars, were spattered across the top of the picture. It was amazing, but before he could find the words to describe it, Arthur pulled the piece away, hiding it from view as he huffed out, “It’s horrible, I knew it. Forget I ever showed-”

Alfred cut his self-deprecation off quickly, “Sweetheart, it’s so beautiful. I don’t know how you did it, but I love it! Where are we going to put it?”

Ah, yes. There was that adorable red flush again. Exactly where it was meant to be. 

Arthur shook his head, as if trying to shake the blush away, and looked down at his work, “I was thinking of putting it on a pillow or something…”

“That’s too simple.” Alfred said quickly. Something this amazing needed a special place. It needed… “I’ll build a frame! And we’ll hang it on the wall! A place of honor!”

Arthur visibly brightened, the feathers that bunched around his neck even poofed up a little, showing how excited the thought made him, despite how calm he pretended to be when he answered, “That would work. Thank you, Alfred.”

Thinking through his materials, he huffed, “I think I’ll have to go into town for some stuff.” As much as he loved going into town, sometimes the distance was a hassle. Well, “We’ll make a day of it! Come on, we can go get dinner in the tavern!” Arthur always enjoyed the town’s tavern, what with the beer and music one could enjoy inside. Alfred would just have to keep Arthur from downing too much of the stuff- aarakocra’s tolerance were way less than a human's. 

Arthur smiled and nodded, “Yes, we should leave soon then.” 

When Alfred agreed, they each grabbed their coats and Alfred wandered into the kitchen, peering into the pantry, “Are we out of anything? We should stop by the market while we’re there.”

“You almost finished off the jam this morning.” Arthur called back. 

Alfred laughed as he made his way towards the front door, “If you’re gonna make scones, I’m gonna put jelly on them!”

He waited patiently for the indignant squawk that always followed statements like that, “They taste fine plain!” Then the quieter hiss, “Humans have such strange taste.”

Alfred opened his mouth to protest, but Arthur walked out of their room, once more in the green coat. It still shimmered, causing Arthur’s eyes to shine even more than normal. 

Deciding to ask about it now, Alfred held the door open for his partner and they began to walk. “I meant to ask you earlier, but where’d you get the coat?”

Arthur brushed down the front of it as he walked, his mouth turning up a little, meaning he was smug about  _ something _ . “I found the material in town last week. I thought it looked nice so I decided to make a coat. Do you like it?” 

There was an emphasis on the question. Alfred heard it, but he didn’t really understand it. “Yeah!” Alfred glanced at Arthur, “It brings out your eyes. It’s pretty.”

Oh! Arthur’s ears blushed red, and Alfred realized Arthur was fishing for a compliment. With a smirk he hoped Arthur didn’t see, he continued, “I meant to say something earlier but  _ someone _ had shed on my pillow.” He continued on quickly in order to show he was just teasing, “But yeah! It’s real nice. I can tell you worked hard on it.”

There was always something so perfect about Arthur’s blush.

They continued on, walking slowly down the path, brushing against each other and laughing with one another. 

Eventually, they made it to the market. The sun was high up in the sky- blazing down on their heads. Arthur’s coat was stripped down, now draped carefully on his arms. They made their way slowly through the marketplace, looking down at wares and chatting comfortably with the townspeople they had became friends with through the months.

Alfred paused his walk as Arthur slowed to a stop in front of a table covered in shiny gems and jewels. He reached out to graze a simple necklace, a long silver chain with a bright sapphire dangling down the center. It was elegant in its simplicity, and Arthur looked down at it for a few seconds before jerking his head up sharply. A slight flush was on his face as he complimented the jeweler before continuing on quickly towards the woman they always bought their jam from.

Alfred turned to follow him, but hesitated. He strode over to the hand, handing over a fistful of gold coins. The older man gestured at him to take the necklace, whispering a with a hearty laugh, “He’s a cutie. I love seeing you two walk through the market. It’s nice to see people so in love- especially ones so different.”

Alfred beamed back and gave him a quick ‘thank you’ before pocketing the necklace and running back up to Arthur’s side. When his partner asked where he’d been, Alfred smiled and brushed him off. It wouldn’t be a gift if he gave him it so soon, now would it?

They made their way to the craftsman's corner, Alfred quickly grabbing what he needed before paying. They spoke with the storekeepers for a bit, Alfred had become fast friends with them considering how often he was in there. When the conversation died down, they said their goodbyes. Alfred slung his bag over his shoulder and smiled down at his partner, “Alright! Let’s go get dinner. We finished earlier than I thought, but whatever. Early night, I guess.”

Arthur let out a soft laugh, “Yes, we will finish eating soon. I’m not so sure we will be retiring to bed early, however.”

Alfred beamed.

 

Drinking wasn’t always one of Alfred’s favorite activities. He didn’t really enjoy losing control of himself too much. 

Drinking with Arthur was always exciting. He never got  _ drunk, _ per se, but a few drinks here and there to get tipsy was nice. Arthur would drink enough to relax in public. The insecurities he felt at being so different from most of the denizens of the town were washed away as he downed a few drinks. 

Never too many. Alfred only made the mistake of not watching Arthur’s intake once. The man got too loose-lipped. He said things he wasn’t ready to say. 

It wasn’t right for Alfred to let that happen. 

So he watched Arthur down three drinks (never more than four, and he liked to save the last one for later on if Arthur still wanted to be out) before telling the tavernkeep to cut him off. Arthur pouted for a moment, but quickly forgot his annoyance when the band began to play. A low twang of a violin carried throughout the room, before an upbeat song began to resonate throughout the room.

Arthur turned and smiled at Alfred, grabbing his hands and pulling him to the center of the room. No one else was dancing, but Arthur didn’t seem to notice as he began to move around.

As he danced, a few other couples began to join them, and Alfred let himself be dragged along (but he did do the dragging a few times) until he got tired. Arthur always had more energy than him with it came to things like that.

He sat down at the counter, asking for water as he watched his partner lead the people still dancing in what seemed to be a traditional aarakocra dance that was being performed to what was most certainly not the right song. Arthur stood out in the centre of the room, his coat back on and his feathers an unusual sight compared the the plain-looking humans around him. 

He slipped his drink as Arthur laughed and stumbled over his feet, bumping into other dancers and causing everyone to fall out of step. Everyone giggled and continued on, nothing disturbing the fun they’re having.

But someone disturbed Alfred’s. 

They were a stranger, someone he hadn’t seen in town before. That often meant they were taking a job, which either meant they would get along swimmingly with Arthur or they’d hate his entire being.

Knowing this, Alfred gave a polite smile and nod as he sat on the stool next to him before returning his attention to his partner. 

“Their dances are always so strange,” The man commented.

A fairly neutral statement, one Alfred wouldn’t be able to use to decipher the man’s feelings. So, he hummed in acknowledgement and continued to watch.

“So, what’s your name?” The stranger asked as he held out his hand, “I’m Jeremy. I’m just stopping by for the night. Tomorrow I’m heading out to deal with a rock monster near Willin City- the port town? I assume you know of it.”

Oh, a snob.

“Name’s Alfred.” Don’t feed his ego. Alfred dealt with enough of mercenaries like him when he was doing jobs like those, and he’d rather not deal with another now. He’d admit he was a little egotistical back then (and now), but he at least kept his  _ hand on his own thigh- _

“Woah, hey. Listen, I have a-”

Alfred’s hand reached out to pry the man’s hand off his thigh when Arthur’s voice rang out, “Alfred? Who’s this?” 

Well, shit.

“It doesn’t matter. He’s just leaving.” Alfred said, before he stood, “Actually, I think we should leave too. It’s getting late, and I’d rather not walk home in the dark.”

The man stood, still, for some reason, not taking a hint, “I’ll escort you home.”

Alfred really hoped he wasn’t like that back in the day. 

“No, we’re fine.” Both of them answered at once, and the man seemed to understand he was not wanted as he sauntered over to a different corner of the bar. 

He quickly draped an arm around Arthur’s waist, pulling him close as he began to walk out of the tavern, but frowned as Arthur stepped away. They walked in silence for a minute, Alfred waiting to ask what was wrong when they were somewhere more private. And they got to that “somewhere more private” fairly quickly as they left the town behind as they walked. 

Arthur had squimed out from under Alfred’s arm, but he stepped closer to Arthur to get in reach of Arthur’s hand, which he quickly grabbed and squeezed. 

There was something about the encounter that was bothering Alfred. Something in Arthur’s voice, as twinge that was off. Something was wrong, more wrong than Arthur being a little mad or jealous at the man who had overtly filtered with Alfred.

“Arthur, I just-”

“Let’s not, please. We’re far away from that man, we don’t need to discuss anything.”

Neither his words nor his tone were a good sign, “Sweetheart, you just seemed really upset-”

_ Wrong way to phrase it, _ he quickly realized as Arthur yanked his hand away. “I’m fine.”

Any attempt at talking was quickly shut down, so Alfred decided to drop it, for now. He didn’t want to get into a big fight. Arthur had probably just gotten upset at the man’s actions and was still tipsy, so he wasn’t fully in control of his emotions or fully articulate, which likely didn’t help.

It wouldn’t be the first time something like that had happened. 

(Alfred decided to ignore how it was the first time Arthur voice had cracked and sounded so broken.)

  
  


Arthur’s hair was so soft. Softer than a humans. That, coupled with the puffy feathers that were the bridge between his hair and his neck, made for a perfect spot to run his hands through. 

Which, Alfred was happily doing as they lay in bed. When they had returned home, still walking silently, Alfred had quickly made his way into their bedroom, hanging his coat up (the necklace resting safely in the pocket) and slipping into bed. Arthur stripped his shirt and coat off and joined him, eventually, and Alfred was quick to pull his partner close. 

He smiled into Arthur’s hair as he relaxed into his arms, feeling himself relax. It was one of their nonverbal ways of saying, “I don’t care that we kinda-fought earlier. I want to drop and I just be next to you.”

It worked well for the two (very stubborn) individuals. 

There was always something so… right about having Arthur in his arms, or being in Arthur’s arms. He felt at home. Like that was where he belonged. They didn’t need to talk when they were like this.

But Arthur tone from earlier was worrying him, so Alfred took a deep break and spoke. “Listen, I know you wanted me to drop it, but I really think something upset you about earlier- more than just being, rightfully, mad at that guy.” He continued on quickly, trying to not give Arthur a chance to overthink or get worked up, “You don’t have to tell me why now, or ever if you really don’t want to, but I would like to know if it’s something important. I’m going to drop it now, but I just think you should know that I  _ did  _ notice that you were upset.”

Arthur didn’t respond for a bit, and he didn’t push him. He just waited patiently, continuing to run a hand through Arthur’s feathers as he knew he liked. 

“I don’t want to talk about it.” Arthur finally said. Alfred was ready for that to be it, but then he continued, “But maybe another time I’ll tell you. Are you mad?”

There was no hesitation to his answer.

“Of course not.”

  
  


“Alfred! You shut those bloody curtains now or I will destroy you.”

His laugh was obvious in his voice as he looked down at his partner, “Arthur, babe, it’s mid-afternoon. You need to get up. Besides, when we met and we fought I was winning handily.”

“Close the curtains.” Arthur was obscured fully by the blanket he had wrapped around him and the pillow (once again, Alfred’s. It was doomed to always be covered in feathers) squished against the top of Arthur’s head. 

“Get up.”

A single green eye peeked out from under the pillow, “You know I can’t sleep if there’s light. Close them.”

“I never understood that. You just close your eyes and the light should be gone!” Alfred laughed a little before he sighed, shoulders drooping over-dramatically. “But, I’m sad it has to end like this.”

“What-” Arthur began to ask before the scrambled backwards. Alfred jolted forwards, wrestling Arthur into his arms before he could get away. 

“You’re waking up whether you like it or not!” He began to carry Arthur into the living room, laughing at his indignant shouts and squawks. 

“My head hurts! Let me sleep!” Arthur yelled as he wiggled in Alfred arms. The blanket was still caught up in his legs, hindering his escape attempts. 

“It’s your fault you drank so much last night! Suffer the consequences of your actions!” Despite his desperation to get out of Alfred’s arms, Arthur was huffing out laughs between exhausted breaths, getting worn out from his struggling. 

As he neared the couch, he paused his walk, looked down at the bundle to see a flushed Arthur glaring up at him. “Are you awake now?” He asked.

“What do you think, you buffoon.”

With a harsh smile, Alfred said, “I think you are.” And dropped Arthur. He was plopped onto the soft couch with a yelp. 

His cheeks were a bright red as he cried out, “You’re the worst!”

Batting his eyelashes, Alfred asked, “Forgive me?” With a high-pitched voice.

“Never,” Was the returning huff.

“Not even for a gift?” He asked, thinking back to the pretty necklace.

That got Arthur’s attention. “What gift?”

“Well it wouldn't be a gift if I told you, would it? A gift has to be a surprise.”

A long pause, before a begrudging, “Fine.”

“Say the words!”

Arthur huffed again, “I’ll forgive you  _ if _ , and only if, I find the gift acceptable.”

He was always weak for little presents.

“Alright! Now, close your eyes!” Alfred commanded as he bolted from the room to dig the jewelry out of his coat. 

When he returned, Arthur had sat up fully on the couch, the blanket in a pile next to him. His eyes were closed, but his arms were crossed, a small demonstration of his residual (and probably fake) anger.

“Okay, now hold your hands out.” As Arthur did so, he laid the beautiful sapphire necklace in his hands, smiling broad as Arthur’s eyes fluttered open.

“Oh, you bought the necklace.”

“Yeah! I saw you looking at it and I had the money so I wanted to get it for you! Do you like it?” Alfred sat down next to Arthur, shoving the blanket to the floor.

Arthur spared the action a look of disdain before returning his gaze to the gift. “It’s very pretty.”

He smiled, “Let me put it on you.” Arthur turned his head, and Alfred quickly clasped the chain. As he turned back to face Alfred, he smiled at the sight of the simple gem resting against Arthur’s bare chest.

“Thank you for the gift Alfred, but you really didn’t need to get it.”

His smile now awkward, he wondered if he’d done something wrong. This wasn’t really the reaction he’d expected. “I know you like pretty rocks and gems, I thought you’d like it.”

Arthur’s eyes widened and he exclaimed, “No! I do like it- it’s just.” He blushed slightly, “I was staring at it because, well…” He trailed off, but Alfred wouldn’t be having that.

“Why were you staring at it?”

“The sapphire is the color of your eyes.”

Fuck. Arthur was just perfect, wasn’t he? He always knew how to make his heart flutter. Thinking fast, Alfred smiled as he came up with the perfect response.

“Well, now you can always look down and think of me, even if we’re apart!”

_ Hell yeah, I killed that cute-ass line _ . Arthur’s bright red ears were obvious signs he’d succeeded in making his partner’s heart flutter too. 

The exposed feathers dotting his chest and leading up the line of his back to surround his neck we’re slightly puffed up, a semblance of the birds he so resembled.

_ Wait. _

Alfred was on to something.

Bird.

Aarakocra’s were similar to birds in appearance- but. 

Shit.

What if-

What if they acted like them too?

The obsession with shiny rocks. Liking the house to be neat and impressive. Aarakocra’s love of dancing. How much Arthur thrived on praise when he presented Alfred with a gift. How flustered he got when he was complimented. His inability to sleep when there’s light.

He couldn’t help it, he just started laughing. It started off as a chuckle, but when the reality of it hit him, he was doubled over, bursting from the seams. He knew Arthur was staring, but he couldn’t help himself.

It’s taken him so long to notice too! Maybe he was a  _ little _ stupid, okay. 

He took gasping breaths, trying to calm himself down to explain to Arthur why he suddenly started laughing. 

He straightened up and wiped at his eyes, blinking as he took a look at Arthur.

He immediately felt a rush of guilt and worry wash over him. “What wrong?” He asked quickly as he took in the furrow of his brows and the tightness of his mouth, how his arms came to clasp around his chest, covering him. 

“I’m fine.” The answer was quick, robotic.

He knew he had to explain his laughter, before Arthur got too into his own head. “Look, I know that seemed weird, but I’m just kinda an idiot. I just realized how bird-like you aarakocra are, like how you like shiny things and keeping the house clean. It’s like-” 

He was about to start a long ramble to explain himself, but Arthur’s short “Oh,” cut him off. 

“I wasn’t laughing at you, so don’t go worrying about it. I was just laughing at his long it took me to realize how-”

“How abnormal and weird I am.” He spat out like poison.

Alfred blinked. “What do you-”

“I’m not human, Alfred.”

He blinked again, the slow crawl of dread making it icy way up his back, “Well, yeah. You’re an aarakocra.”

“I’m weird. The townspeople are used to me, but even then some of them only tolerate me. I’m so different from people, and I know that. I do things you don’t understand, and I know they bother you. Like me leaving feathers all over? Will you really just be mildly annoyed forever? These things are going to build up and up- you’re going to hate me one day. I know you will.” Arthur took a shuddering breath before he stood. He began to walk towards their room mumbling out, “I’m sorry. Ignore me, I’m going to go get dressed and-”

He froze as Alfred grabbed his arms. He was unnaturally still, feathers puffed up now not from excitement but to make him seem bigger, more of a threat, so predators would ignore him. Alfred was scaring him?

No.

He was scaring himself.

“Arthur, I love you.”

The responding flinch hurt Alfred more than he could ever say.

“I’m not going to stop loving you because you leave feathers everywhere. And I don’t care what some stupid people think I-”

“But can you really say that? Can you mean it?” 

“Yes!” Alfred shouted. He knew he shouldn’t, but hearing Arthur doubt him so much  _ hurt _ . “I stopped doing a job I loved because I wanted to be with you more. I knew I would be so much more happy with you in our house than traveling. And I am! Arthur, fuck, I’m so happy to be with you and I don’t understand how you don’t see that.” He paused, taking a deep breath as a question hit him. “How long?”

“What?” Arthur asked, his voice subdued.

“How long have you been doubting that I will always love you?”

Arthur’s eyes were down cast, and he tried to pull his wrist away, but Alfred responded by pulling him closer. He took a step towards him, running a thumb along the back of his hand as he adjusted his grip so he was holding Arthur’s hand. “How long?”

Arthur sighed, “Sometimes I can forget my fear but it’s almost always there. I’m sorry. It doesn’t help that-” He cut himself off, looking flustered again.

“It doesn’t help that what?” 

Arthur finally,  _ finally _ , looked up at him. With an anxious smile on his face, he said, “Aarakocra mate for life, and I know humans don’t always. I’m just being silly and getting worked up over nothing, please, ignore me. I’ll be fine in a bit, don’t worry.”

Now, Alfred Foster Jones wasn’t a stupid man.

He was dense, but he was also trusting. He was a good man, brave too.

And when Alfred Foster Jones loved someone, he did so wholly and completely. 

So when he spoke next, he did so easily. He knew the weight his words carried, but he he carried it easily. He knew what he wanted, and who he loved.

He loved Arthur James Kirkland, and all his peculiarities. 

“We could get married. That’s how humans mate for life. It’s a bond that will last so long as we both wear our rings.” His words came quickly, and he smiled. “Yeah! We could have a big, pretty wedding! I could send letter back to my family in the city and you could contact some of your old friends! We could invite the whole village, and make a huge celebration. We could hang up those pretty fairy lights everywhere and get those paper strings they hang up during the Harvest Festival and-”

“Alfred.” Arthur voice carried a heavy emotion.

“What?” 

“Are you serious?”

He frowned, almost offended. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

Arthur blinked, looking down again, “It’s just so sudden, and I don’t want you to do anything you’ll regret or-”

“I’ve never been more serious about anything in my life. I love you Arthur, and I can’t imagine ever caring for anyone as much as I care for you.”

Arthur’s face was bright red, so Alfred took the chance and asked again, “So? Will you marry me?”

This time, it was Arthur who laughed. “Yes. Yes, I do think I will.”

Alfred couldn’t help himself. He pulled Arthur close, slamming his face against his partn-

His fiance’s.

Yes, he could get used to calling Arthur that.

He smiled against his lips, and it took himself a second to realize he’d been mumbling out, “I love you, my fiance, we’re gonna get married! I love you!”

He smiled only grew when he heard Arthur mumble back, “I love you too. So much. So very, very much.”

**Author's Note:**

> thank you for reading!! this fic is a little gift for the 300 followers i got on tumblr!! you can follow me @inkwells-writing and request stuff and see what im up to!  
> also, comments and kudos are much appreciated!!


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